Cauliflower, which literally means cabbage flower – is not the flower of the cabbage. The history of cauliflower is traced to the origin of wild cabbage. This wild plant used to have a similar look to kale and is believed to have originated in the ancient times in Asia Minor. After a lot of transformations, the vegetable, as we know it, developed in the Mediterranean region around 600 BC. It has been widely accepted in Turkish and Italian cuisines.
Described by Arab botanists and known to the Romans, the cauliflower originally came from Cyprus, and was introduced to France from Italy in the middle of the 16th century. Today, food writers are extremely fond of quoting Mark Twain’s contention that “Training is everything,” he wrote, “A peach was once a bitter almond; a cauliflower is nothing but a cabbage with a college education.” Twain could be saying that a cauliflower is just a cabbage that resembles a brain (which, indeed, it does); the absence of many other quotes about this vegetable, however, speak clearly to the cauliflower’s humble status in the food world.
Though cauliflower has a bland taste of its own, it is highly regarded by vegetarians, however, in Italian cuisine, cauliflower is often paired with sausage in pasta dishes or other meats. Cauliflower tends to absorb flavor from the spices and sauces used in preparing cauliflower recipes. As a vegetable, it is often used in stews, casseroles and even in salads. Usually, cauliflower is eaten as a cooked vegetable that can be boiled, steamed or fried before adding to any dish. Baked cauliflower dishes are quite popular in Western cuisine. Cauliflower, like broccoli and cabbage, belongs to the cruciferous family of vegetables which has been shown to be effective in fighting certain forms of cancer, however, these vegetables also contain sulfur compounds that can smell unpleasant.
PREPARATION:
Remove the green leaves. Core out the stem. Then cut the cauliflower in florets.
The florets can be steamed, which takes between 12 and 15 minutes, or microwaved, which takes 8 to 10 minutes. Remember, shorter cooking is better for retaining nutrients and reducing the smell in your kitchen.
The best way to prevent these compounds from turning your kitchen into a chemistry lab is to minimally cook the cauliflower. For stir-frys and in salads, cook the cauliflower about halfway, then refresh in cold water.
A majority of recipes cover cauliflower in cheese sauces. A healthier option is lemon butter with chives. In addition to putting florets in omelets, try them in quiches.
In addition to the smell, overcooking also diminishes the nutrients significantly. In fact, you can reduce the levels of some vitamins in vegetables by cooking them with one method over another. A while back, food writer Mark Bittman quoted a Cornell University study in a New York Times article, that stated that 100 grams of cauliflower had 55 mg of vitamin C after boiling, 70 after steaming, and 82 after being cooked in the microwave oven.
Unfried Cauliflower Italian Style
This recipe is an adaption of my mother’s Italian Breaded Parmesan Cauliflower recipe which she fried. The trick with baking them is to make sure they don’t overcook or undercook. The recipe features an egg dipped cauliflower with a simple coating of flour, spices and cheese. No breadcrumbs needed, and while being lower in fat than the fried version, it tastes just as good.
Ingredients
-
1 whole cauliflower broken into small pieces
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3 eggs or ¾ cups egg substitute
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2 cups flour
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3 teaspoons salt
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1/2 teaspoon black pepper
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2 teaspoons garlic powder
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1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
Directions
Cut apart the Cauliflower into small pieces.
Rinse them off and drain them.
Grease 2 large 13×9 inch glass baking dishes with olive oil.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a small bowl beat the eggs with a fork or fill with egg substitute, and then fill another bowl with the flour, cheese, and spices that will be used for the coating.
Dip each piece of cauliflower first into the egg, and then into the flour mixture, making sure they are coated evenly on all sides.
Put them on the greased baking dish, and bake for a half hour, flipping them over with a fork halfway through the cooking time. You can also add more oil to the baking dish if it gets too dry.
Cauliflower Fritatta
Serves 4
5 whole eggs plus 3/4 cups egg substitute
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper taste
3 cups steamed or microwaved cauliflower florets
2 teaspoons butter
Combine eggs, cheese and seasonings in a mixing bowl. Mix well and stir in cauliflower. Turn oven to broil.
Put butter in a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat until hot – when it stops sizzling. Add egg mixture and reduce heat to as low as possible. When the eggs are set on the bottom but the top is still slightly runny, put the pan under the broiler at least six inches from the flame. Cook 1 to 2 minutes or until just set. Be careful not to overcook. Turn the pan to cook evenly. When done, remove from the broiler and slide onto a plate. Let cool until warm or room temperature 
Roasted Cauliflower with Chickpeas
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 head cauliflower, broken into florets
- 1 – 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed or 2 cups cooked dried beans
- 1 cup Progresso Italian bread crumbs
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
Directions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Toss cauliflower, garlic and chickpeas with the olive oil along with the salt and red pepper, and spread on a baking sheet. Roast in a single layer, turning once during cooking, until chickpeas are golden and starting to turn crunchy, 20-25 minutes. Sprinkle evenly with bread crumbs and return to the oven for 5 minutes. Garnish with parsley.
Roasted Peppers and Cauliflower
- 1 medium head cauliflower, broken into florets
- 2 medium roasted red peppers, cut into strips, see post for roasting http://jovinacooksitalian.com/2012/04/24/the-italian-way-with-red-peppers/
- 2 red onions, cut into wedges
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
Penne with Italian Sausage, Cauliflower and Rosemary
2 teaspoons salt
1 pound whole wheat penne
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
4 links Italian sausage, cut into bite-size pieces
2 sprigs rosemary, chopped
1 head cauliflower, cut into small florets
½ to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1-28oz. container Pomi chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan
1. Bring a large pot of water and the salt to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When it’s hot and shimmering, add the onions and sausage and stir briefly. Leave the sausage alone to brown for 2 minutes. Stir it again then add the rosemary. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions turn soft, another 2 minutes.
3. Add the cauliflower and season it with a sprinkling of salt and pepper and the red pepper flakes. Add the tomatoes and a splash of the pasta water and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower is tender, 6 minutes.
4. Drain the pasta and toss it with sauce, adding more pasta water if it looks too dry. (There should be just enough liquid in the pan to coat the pasta.) Stir in the parmesan.
Pasta with Roasted Cauliflower and Red Onions
Serves 4
- 1 small head cauliflower (about 1 1⁄2 lb), cored and sliced 1⁄2-in. thick
- 1 red onion, cut into 1⁄2-in.-thick wedges
- ⅓ cup fresh sage, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- Kosher salt and pepper
- ½ cup golden raisins
- 12 ounces whole-grain penne
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
- Heat oven to 425ºF. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the cauliflower, onion, sage, oil, and 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper; roast for 15 minutes. Add the raisins and toss to incorporate. Continue roasting until the vegetables are golden brown and tender, 8 to 10 minutes more.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions. Reserve ½ cup pasta water. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
- Add the vegetable mixture, pasta water and Parmesan to the pasta and toss to combine. Serve with additional Parmesan, if desired.
Related articles
- Two New Ways to Eat Cauliflower (lifeovereasy.typepad.com)
- Bored with Cauliflower! Cauliflower and Feta Mash (from my What’s left in the Fridge series) (devonium.wordpress.com)
- Roasted cauliflower and white bean soup (theitalianfork.com)
- Recipes for Health: Lasagna With Spicy Roasted Cauliflower – Recipes for Health (nytimes.com)
- Cauliflower: Simple, Hearty, Delicious (theepochtimes.com)
Are veggie haters born or made? The answer seems to be both. Some of us have negative veggie experiences from our childhood that come back to haunt us as adults. Maybe you were forced to eat vegetables, or had to plow through a stack of green beans to get to dessert. Maybe you were served overcooked, mushy vegetables. “If veggies are only served in ways that don’t match your personal flavor preferences, they won’t seem exciting,” explains Karen Collins, MS, RD, nutrition adviser for the American Institute for Cancer Research. So if you love spicy food, you won’t like veggies served plain; or if you love simple, earthy flavors, veggies covered with a rich sauce won’t be appealing.
When my children were young, they struggled with eating some vegetables that were on their dinner plates. I, also, know that many parents struggle to get their kids to eat their vegetables – it’s a never-ending battle in many households in America. Nagging and taking away dessert are often futile remedies. What can help is, if a parent can involve their children in food preparation and find healthy ways to make vegetables taste good.
Deep frying or adding butter and cheese make everything taste so good. The real challenge is how to make vegetables taste good without it, if you are trying to make your meals more healthy. Cooking vegetables with the right herbs can make a difference, such as oregano, basil, parsley, thyme, rosemary, tarragon, coriander, dill and garlic. Adding chopped nuts to vegetable dishes is another way to bring more flavor and nutrition into the meal. Using cooking techniques other than boiling in water, such as roasting and grilling, are ways to improve the taste of vegetables without adding a lot of fat.
Prep veggies, like carrots, asparagus and peppers, place in foil, mist with extra virgin olive oil, drizzle with a tablespoon or two of balsamic vinegar or another flavored vinegar or with a low-fat dressing, sprinkle with herbs like thyme, rosemary and cracked black pepper and place the package on the grill. Some take as little as 10 minutes to become tender. Or use the same seasonings on vegetable kabobs, alternating vegetables of your choice with cherry tomatoes and onion slices.
You can roast just about anything, but vegetables especially benefit from the high, dry heat of the oven. Their flavor becomes concentrated and their natural sugars caramelize, transforming them into richly satisfying sides. For every 2 pounds of vegetables, toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil prior to roasting. Spread in a single layer, with space in between the pieces or they’ll just steam instead. You can roast different veggies together if their cooking times are similar.
The recipes below are ones I have made, adjusting ingredients, cooking techniques and utilizing Italian flavors to make these dishes just right. These are vegetable side dishes that my family likes and enjoys at our family dinners.
Mashed Potatoes With Kale
Ingredients
- 2 pounds russet potatoes, scrubbed and peeled
- Salt
- 1 pound (1 large bunch) kale, either curly or cavolo nero, with the ribs removed and the leaves washed
- 1-1/4 cups low-fat milk
- 2 garlic cloves
- Freshly ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Directions
Cover the potatoes with water in a saucepan, add 1/2 tablespoon of salt and the garlic and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, cover partially and cook until tender about 30 to 40 minutes. Drain off the water, return the potatoes with the garlic to the pan and mash with a potato masher.
While the potatoes are cooking bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil and add the kale. Cook the kale for 4 to 6 minutes (after the water returns to the boil) until the leaves are tender but still bright green. Allow to cool for a couple of minutes, drain and squeeze out excess water. Chop into small pieces and add the olive oil.
Stir the chopped kale into the hot mashed potatoes along with the milk. Add salt to taste and freshly ground pepper.
Tip: This is a good dish to make ahead and reheat for dinner.
Yield: Serves 4 to 6
Oven-roasted Vegetables with Rosemary, Bay Leaves and Garlic
The process of roasting brings out the natural sweetness in vegetables and intensifies their natural flavors
Ingredients
- Sea salt
- 1 lb red or Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 2-inch chunks
- 1 lb butternut squash, seeded and cut into chunks
- 2 medium red onions, cut into eighths
- 1 fennel bulb, trimmed, cored and cut into chunks
- 3 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
- 3 parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
8 garlic cloves, smashed
- 4 sprigs of rosemary
- 4 sprigs of bay leaves
Directions
In a large baking pan sprayed with olive oil cooking spray place potatoes, squash, onions and 2 tablespoons of the oil. Toss to coat, then roast for 20 minutes.
Add the remaining tablespoon of oil and the remaining ingredients to the baking pan.
Roast for another 20 minutes, turning the vegetables occasionally until tender and edges slightly brown. Salt and pepper to taste.
Remove bay leaves before serving.
Makes 4 servings.
Grilled Vegetables with Basil Dressing
Makes 8 servings
Ingredients
- 1 small eggplant, sliced into chunks
- 1 zucchini, cut into chunks
- 1 yellow summer squash, cut into chunks
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into squares
- 1 small red onion, sliced and cut into 8 segments
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
- 1/4 cup non-fat Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons reduced-fat olive oil mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh basil
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Directions
Thread skewers with alternating pieces of eggplant, zucchini, squash, bell pepper and onion. Place skewered vegetables in shallow pan.
Make the marinade for vegetables by blending vinegar, oil and 1/4 cup fresh basil. Pour over vegetables. Let stand 10 minutes, occasionally turning skewers so marinade coats all sides.
Meanwhile, make the dressing. Place yogurt, mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon fresh basil and lemon juice in a bowl and whisk until smooth. Transfer to small serving dish.
Grill vegetables, adjusting height of rack to avoid charring, if using an outdoor grill.
Serve vegetables as a side dish, as a sandwich filling in ciabatta rolls or on sliced Italian bread or bruschetta. Pass basil-yogurt dressing to use as a topping.
Baked Spaghetti Squash
What I like about this spaghetti squash dish is that when it comes out of the oven, it’s ready to serve. It does not need any additional cooking to give it flavor.
Ingredients:
- 1 small to medium spaghetti squash
- Olive oil cooking spray
Kosher or salt and fresh pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
Directions
Cut the squash in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds and fibers with a spoon. Place on a baking sheet, cut side up, spray lightly with the cooking spray, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
In a small bowl mix together the paprika, onion powder, Italian seasoning and garlic powder. Sprinkle over squash.
Bake at 350° F for about an hour or until the skin gives easily under pressure and the inside is tender. Remove from the oven and let it cool 10 minutes.
Using a fork, scrape out the squash flesh a little at a time. It will separate into spaghetti-like strands. Place in a serving dish and serve.
Spicy Broccoli Rabe with Garlic and Lemon Zest
Ingredients
- 2 pounds broccoli rabe
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt. Cook broccoli rabe in water for 4 to 5 minutes until tender and bright green. Drain well in a colander and set aside.
In a large saute pan heat 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and pepper flakes then toss in the broccoli rabe.
Season with salt and pepper and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, gently tossing it in the pan. Finish with the lemon zest and toss to combine. Serve immediately.
Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Lemon Vinaigrette
Serves 6
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Progresso Italian Bread Crumbs
Lemon Vinaigrette
Whisk together:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- Pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon small capers
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Wash the head of cauliflower and trim off the outer leaves. With a sharp knife, remove a cone-shaped piece from the core, keeping the head intact.
With your fingers, rub a little olive oil into the bottom of a deep oven-safe baking dish, rub the remainder on all over the cauliflower, working the oil into the crevasses as best you can. Place core-side down in the baking dish and sprinkle with salt and breadcrumbs.
Bake for 1 hour or 1-1/4 hours, until the exterior is brown and crusty and the center soft. With a spoon, drizzle the vinaigrette over the top of the cauliflower and let it seep slowly.
Crispy Parmesan Broccoli
2 servings
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb broccoli, rinsed, dried, and cut into flat sided bite-size pieces
- 1/2 cup egg substitute
- 1/4 cup Italian seasoned Panko Crumbs
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
In a small bowl combine the bread crumbs and cheese.
Put the broccoli in a large bowl, add the egg substitute, and toss with your hands to coat.
Sprinkle in the bread crumb and cheese mixture and toss to combine.
Transfer to a baking sheet, flat side down, and roast for 12 minutes.
Italian Green Beans Marinara
Ingredients
- 2 pounds fresh green beans, cleaned and stem ends removed
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, no salt added
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 6 large cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano leaves
- Salt and pepper to taste
Roasted Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 lb thin asparagus spears, tough ends trimmed
- olive oil spray
- fresh cracked pepper to taste
- 4 slices (2 oz) thin sliced prosciutto
- grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 400° F.
Lightly spray asparagus spears with olive oil cooking spray. Season with fresh cracked pepper and divide into 4 bundles.
Bundle 1/4 of the asparagus together and wrap a slice of prosciutto around it. Place on a baking dish seam side down.
Related articles:
- Herbed Spaghetti Squash – Emerill (bookcasefoodie.wordpress.com)
- Roasted spaghetti squash with Parmesan (culinaryengineering.me)
- Vegetable Lasagne. (gwenacaster.wordpress.com)
- Never Fail Roast Vegetables: A Dish for All Seasons (currentmom.com)
